Teacher: Mr. Hodgkins Office Location: 395 High Street, room 4 Office Hours: MWF 2-4 TTH 3-5 E-mail: Garrett.Hodgkins@maine.edu
Summary of Unit
This unit is a literature unit covering Huckleberry Finn. The unit aims to cover some of the CCSS standards of key ideas and details, as well as craft and structure. Through this unit, it is the hope that students will have an understanding of how writing styles can affect novels and their themes, as well as the differences in dialect and vocab between time periods. Furthermore, it is the aim of this unit to bring an understanding that their may be larger underlying themes in novels, and that students need to seek them out. Students will be expected to be able to answer questions dealing with racism, themes, and character development
Establish Goals
1. cite strong and through textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. 2. determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details provide and objective summary of the text. 3. analyze how complex character develop over the course of the text, interact with other character, and advance the plot over time. 4. determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone.
Students will understand that
•there are larger themes of racism throughout the text. •there are turning points of Huck's attitude towards racism. •the vocabulary of the time was different
Essential Questions
•How was racism viewed then, how has that view changed? •Did Huck change over the book? Or was he linear? •How does Mark Twain use writing style to display a larger theme?
• describe Huck's changes in his views throughout the text. • make meaning of the major themes in Huckleberry Finn. •adapt Twain's vocabulary to now. •analyze Huck's turning points in the book. •consider the differences in dialect between our own, and Huck's. • be aware of the theme under the writing style.
Performance Task Overview You are a group of writers and editors that has just received great news! The Association of American Publishers has recently released information on a contest that could lead to you published by one of the top companies in America! The task is to take a classic novel and modernize it into our own context in an interactive e-book, while displaying all of the major themes as well as keeping the story the same. The dialect of the time has to be modernized as well. If you win you will get a chance to be presented in front of the Board of Directors of 3 different major publishing companies!
Expectations
Absences: Attendance for this class is very important and you are expected to be here for almost every class. I understand that this may not always be possible so every student is allotted 3 absences where they can freely make up the work that they missed as long as the student warned me ahead of time that they were not going to be in attendance or show the appropriate documentation on why they had to miss class. After 3 absences ( unless under extenuating circumstances) the student will lose 5 points off a final grade for each absence.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism is unacceptable in any classroom. It does not signify any learning, understanding, or mastery of a big idea, only an understanding of how to Google search discrete resources and copy and paste someone else's information as your own. If I have a suspicion that a student's work is plagiarized I will make time to talk to that student one on one and give a chance to explain yourselves. If afterwards I deem that it wasn't just a citation area you will receive no points for the work, as well as earn a trip to the office. No remediation is possible for plagiarized assignments.
Assignments: Students are expected to complete their homework on time, as each bit of homework will correspond directly with what we are doing in class that day. If a student contacts me ahead of time and has a valid excuse of why homework cannot be complete, extra arrangements can be made. Furthermore, if a student does not complete all homework, no remediation will be allowed on assignments, as there is no evidence that their full effort was given to understand an area.
Classroom Expectations: 1.Be respectful of everyone, regardless of differences. 2. Be prepared for class each day, this means a notebook, a writing utensil, and having your homework done.3. Be ready to pay attention. There will be times where I need to speak and you need to listen, please be respectful of this. There will also be situations where you will be speaking, and I will be listening. 4. I will not tolerate any bullying in this class.
Benchmarks (100 points)
•Blog: students will have to keep a journal from Huck's point of view. After each chapter is read the student will write in key events of the chapter. Points are awarded for full coverage of the chapter, as well as spelling and grammar. 15points •Prezi: students will make a presentation detailing the themes of Huck Finn that we have gone over in class of now. the presentation overall should be around 5 minutes. Points will be awarded for the correct coverage of the theme, as well as examples where the theme comes out. 10 points •Comic life: do a two sided comic showing an example of Huck's dialect on one, and how it may translate to now on the other. a minimum of 5 comic slides is needed. Points will be awarded when an understanding of the difference between dialect is obvious in the comic. 5 points •Podcast: do a radio newscast describing specific events where Huck's view changes. Students will pose as the newscasters covering different events in Huck's stories. Points will be awarded for students demonstrating an understanding of what key events are, and why they might affect Huck the way they do. 10 points •Imovie: students will make a video showing differences between dialect. Students will have to show both Huck's dialect and our own dialect and show that they have an understanding of the key differences and similarities. Points will be awarded for that clear understanding and demonstration, not on editing abilities. 15 points •Google Doc: students will work together on a Google doc to show specific instances where Twain's style helps develop the theme. Points will be awarded for good, cited, examples in the book where the theme is enlarged by Twain's style. ( 10 points)
E-book: Students will write an interactive E-book that modernizes Huckleberry Finn. Throughout the chapter the students write it is expected for the students to capture all of the major themes, accurately translate the dialect, as well as have proper spelling and grammar. (35 points)
Grading Scale
A (93 -100), A- (90 - 92), B+ (87 - 89), B (83 - 86), B- (80 - 82), C+(77 - 79), C (73-76), C- (70 - 72), D+(67 - 69), D (63 - 66), D- (60 - 62), F (0 - 59).
Office Location: 395 High Street, room 4
Office Hours: MWF 2-4 TTH 3-5
E-mail: Garrett.Hodgkins@maine.edu
Summary of Unit
This unit is a literature unit covering Huckleberry Finn. The unit aims to cover some of the CCSS standards of key ideas and details, as well as craft and structure. Through this unit, it is the hope that students will have an understanding of how writing styles can affect novels and their themes, as well as the differences in dialect and vocab between time periods. Furthermore, it is the aim of this unit to bring an understanding that their may be larger underlying themes in novels, and that students need to seek them out.Students will be expected to be able to answer questions dealing with racism, themes, and character development
Establish Goals
1. cite strong and through textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.2. determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details provide and objective summary of the text.
3. analyze how complex character develop over the course of the text, interact with other character, and advance the plot over time.
4. determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone.
Students will understand that
•there are larger themes of racism throughout the text.•there are turning points of Huck's attitude towards racism.
•the vocabulary of the time was different
Essential Questions
•How was racism viewed then, how has that view changed?•Did Huck change over the book? Or was he linear?
•How does Mark Twain use writing style to display a larger theme?
Students will know
•Vocabulary: Theme, plot,tone, setting, racist, slurs.•Critical Details of Events: Characters, why something happened, foresight, familial situations.
•Important People: Huck, Jim, Huck's dad, racist groups, feuding families
Students will be able to
• describe Huck's changes in his views throughout the text.• make meaning of the major themes in Huckleberry Finn.
•adapt Twain's vocabulary to now.
•analyze Huck's turning points in the book.
•consider the differences in dialect between our own, and Huck's.
• be aware of the theme under the writing style.
Performance Task Overview
You are a group of writers and editors that has just received great news! The Association of American Publishers has recently released information on a contest that could lead to you published by one of the top companies in America! The task is to take a classic novel and modernize it into our own context in an interactive e-book, while displaying all of the major themes as well as keeping the story the same. The dialect of the time has to be modernized as well. If you win you will get a chance to be presented in front of the Board of Directors of 3 different major publishing companies!
Expectations
Absences: Attendance for this class is very important and you are expected to be here for almost every class. I understand that this may not always be possible so every student is allotted 3 absences where they can freely make up the work that they missed as long as the student warned me ahead of time that they were not going to be in attendance or show the appropriate documentation on why they had to miss class. After 3 absences ( unless under extenuating circumstances) the student will lose 5 points off a final grade for each absence.Plagiarism: Plagiarism is unacceptable in any classroom. It does not signify any learning, understanding, or mastery of a big idea, only an understanding of how to Google search discrete resources and copy and paste someone else's information as your own. If I have a suspicion that a student's work is plagiarized I will make time to talk to that student one on one and give a chance to explain yourselves. If afterwards I deem that it wasn't just a citation area you will receive no points for the work, as well as earn a trip to the office. No remediation is possible for plagiarized assignments.
Assignments: Students are expected to complete their homework on time, as each bit of homework will correspond directly with what we are doing in class that day. If a student contacts me ahead of time and has a valid excuse of why homework cannot be complete, extra arrangements can be made. Furthermore, if a student does not complete all homework, no remediation will be allowed on assignments, as there is no evidence that their full effort was given to understand an area.
Classroom Expectations: 1.Be respectful of everyone, regardless of differences. 2. Be prepared for class each day, this means a notebook, a writing utensil, and having your homework done.3. Be ready to pay attention. There will be times where I need to speak and you need to listen, please be respectful of this. There will also be situations where you will be speaking, and I will be listening. 4. I will not tolerate any bullying in this class.
Benchmarks (100 points)
•Blog: students will have to keep a journal from Huck's point of view. After each chapter is read the student will write in key events of the chapter. Points are awarded for full coverage of the chapter, as well as spelling and grammar. 15 points•Prezi: students will make a presentation detailing the themes of Huck Finn that we have gone over in class of now. the presentation overall should be around 5 minutes. Points will be awarded for the correct coverage of the theme, as well as examples where the theme comes out. 10 points
•Comic life: do a two sided comic showing an example of Huck's dialect on one, and how it may translate to now on the other. a minimum of 5 comic slides is needed. Points will be awarded when an understanding of the difference between dialect is obvious in the comic. 5 points
•Podcast: do a radio newscast describing specific events where Huck's view changes. Students will pose as the newscasters covering different events in Huck's stories. Points will be awarded for students demonstrating an understanding of what key events are, and why they might affect Huck the way they do. 10 points
•Imovie: students will make a video showing differences between dialect. Students will have to show both Huck's dialect and our own dialect and show that they have an understanding of the key differences and similarities. Points will be awarded for that clear understanding and demonstration, not on editing abilities. 15 points
•Google Doc: students will work together on a Google doc to show specific instances where Twain's style helps develop the theme. Points will be awarded for good, cited, examples in the book where the theme is enlarged by Twain's style. ( 10 points)
E-book: Students will write an interactive E-book that modernizes Huckleberry Finn. Throughout the chapter the students write it is expected for the students to capture all of the major themes, accurately translate the dialect, as well as have proper spelling and grammar. (35 points)
Grading Scale
A (93 -100), A- (90 - 92), B+ (87 - 89), B (83 - 86), B- (80 - 82), C+(77 - 79), C (73-76), C- (70 - 72), D+(67 - 69), D (63 - 66), D- (60 - 62), F (0 - 59).